FTC, FYI: I received a review e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review by: Sheila

BookDetails:

Joan Pryce is not only a Catholic during the English Reformation but also Welsh, and comes from a family of proud revolutionaries. But when a small act of defiance entangles her in a deadly conspiracy, a single misstep could lead her straight to the gallows! Joan must decide between fighting for freedom and finding love.

My Review:

I was instantly drawn to this book by looking at the cover. It’s amazing how a gorgeous cover can be a selling point for an author’s book. The dress the cover model wears is beautiful and there is a sense of mystery displayed there too.

This book is a historical fiction book that was written by someone that knows their history. It is always so obvious when an author has done the hard work to get details right. I have been intrigued for a long time by this time period, the English Reformation and the reign of Queen Elizabeth the 1st. The feeling of great religious unrest is the basis for this story as Joan is Catholic, and her father died revolting against the Queen and now Joan is an orphan living with her godparents. She also meets up again with the man who she thought some day she’d marry, but she hasn’t seen Nicholas for many years. He’s changed in many ways and Joan isn’t sure how she feels about him at first.

This story has a slow start, but as things progress, you get to learn more about Joan and the kind of person she is. The reader soon sees that Joan is truly at heart very kind and caring and wanting to help the oppressed. She is courageous and fights for her beliefs, even with her own life at stake. Though there is some romance in the story, this book’s strong points revolve around the adventure and mystery as she becomes wrapped up in the intrigue of secretly fighting for her people,The Welsh, and her beloved Catholic church. I felt on edge a lot while reading this story hoping that Joan and the others would succeed in their quest for freedom. There is some violence as the Queen’s men had a job to “take care” of the Papist Traitors who were revolting against the Queen.

There are some twists and turns in the story, especially having to do with the romance that fully blossoms near the end of the book. I can assure you that it will make you smile. This book will make readers of historical fiction and historical romance feel very fulfilled when finished. This clean read can be enjoyed by older teens and adults.

Meet the Author: E.B. Wheeler grew up in Georgia and California. She earned her BA in history from BYU and has graduate degrees in history and landscape architecture from Utah State University. With Welsh ancestors on one side of her family and crypto-Catholics on the other, she’s been fascinated by the story of Welsh Catholics since writing about them in her master’s thesis. She’s the award-winning author of “The Haunting of Springett Hall” and lives in northern Utah with her family.

365 Affirmations to Smile gives light to darkness in a world with so much negativity. Kelly’s passion is to inspire others with her affirmations and allow them to journal their thoughts.

My Review: I love to read things that are uplifting. I liked reading this book in the morning before I left for work. When I first got the book I couldn’t help myself and read the whole book in one sitting. Since then, I have been reading the affirmation that goes with each day.

The copy that I would encourage you to purchase is the printed copy so you can journal your thoughts that go with that day’s affirmation. I have been using an old notebook which is fine for me since I have the e-copy, but others may like having a copy of the book where they can write directly in the book by each affirmation.

This book will be liked by those looking for a daily, positive pickup in their lives. Everyone needs something encouraging and positive, and this little book will fit that bill perfectly. Author Kelly ClantonI am from Midwest City, Oklahoma which is the heart of a large Military Base and a town committed to Friday night football. After graduating I married, raised a family and working in the family business several years juggling many responsibilities. I’ve always been one to journal my thoughts as an escape to a hectic day or to remind myself of all I am capable of achieving. In a world with so much negativity, my passion is to inspire positive thoughts one thought at a time and my hope is that I can inspire you! This has been an incredible journey and one I’m not finished writing.

Praise for the book:We all must have something to look forward to on a daily basis or we remain complacent and never move forward in life. This book is an easy way to have a positive for each day. Highly recommend this book for both its content and its price point. No reason not to purchase and share to even nonreaders as this book is broken down by day. We can all read a sentence or two a day. NO excuses! “Strive for Progress, not Perfection” ~ David Sterk

If you enjoy journaling, this is a great tool for positive living. If you have never journaled, this is a great way to start! This is not a novel and the reader is an active writer / participant. Kelly’s affirmations are her own and are intended to be used as a guide for helping others develop their own daily affirmations. Truly enjoyable!

Excerpts: January 5
You don’t always need a plan. Sometimes you just need to breath, trust and see what happens. Remind yourself it’s ok to not be perfect. It’s not selfish to love yourself. Take care of you and make your happiness a priority.

February 5

It doesn’t matter how rich, talented or cool you think you are. Your integrity and how you treat others says it all. You have to water flowers daily for them to last.

March 10
In life, you have to do what makes you happy. Be with ones that make you smile. Laugh as much as you breathe. Love as long as you are living. Every day is a new beginning – look to what it can do.

April 1
Sometimes our lives have to be shaken up a bit – moved around to put us where we need to be. Look ahead and always smile. You never know what a change it can make.

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

What do you do when your boss makes someone else the lead on a big renovation project that should rightfully be yours? You quit. On second thought, that might not be the best idea, but Charlee Jackson has never been one for second thoughts. Instead, she lands a big contract of her own. She’s jumping into her new life—work boots, tool belt and all. Now she just needs to form a company and hire contractors and buy supplies and get an office . . . and not fall in love with her former boss’s son. Yeah. Definitely not that last one.

Peter was torn . . .

You can’t date someone who works for you, but now that his dad let Charlee walk out the door, Peter Elliot is considering his options. Charlee was their top renovation expert, his best friend’s sister, and the only thing that made the drudgery of running a large construction business bearable. But how do you date a competitor, especially one your father is trying to drive out of business? It would be stupid to make your dad angry right before he retires and hands the company over to you. Right?

When Charlee and Peter are scheduled to work on the same Indulgence Row house, their feelings and priorities are put to the test. They need to make a choice, and they better be quick about it, because the whole mixture is curing fast and threatening to crumble to pieces.

There were so many reasons that I liked reading Love Under Construction. My first thought as I got into the story was how realistic the characters were. Both of the main characters, Charlee and Peter were portrayed as real people, not so perfect, but very likable. They had been childhood friends and lately co-workers until Charlee leaves Peter’s family business and starts up her own construction company. Things aren’t wonderful with Charlee leaving and Peter’s father wanting to make Charlee’s life miserable for leaving. Peter on the other hand is in love with Charlee, but she doesn’t know. One thing I was really happy about, is that the author didn’t drag out this part of the story. About 1/3 of the way in, Peter tells Charlee about his feelings towards her. This doesn’t mean that things are all amazing from here out, there are still many challenges and stepping stones for them along the way. In fact Peter says something about how they will have to take relationship lessons called, ‘How to remodel a friendship into a romantic relationship.’ This would also describe much of what happens in the story too.

Another great reason to read this book is that even though it’s a romance it is full of humor. I was giggling through many of the funny things that happened and what was said. The dialogue is so much fun and written very well. In one scene Peter is comparing friendship to French fries and relationships to mashed potatoes. Charlee teases him saying she likes mashed potatoes and Peter hushes her telling her not to mock “The Relationship Master”. These ideas are actually explained in more detail and make a lot of sense, but Peter’s cute personality shines through in the process. Peter is a great lead man who is very appealing to me and I know he will do the same for other female readers.

Though it seems like many things keep these two apart in the book, it is such a fun ride along the way. This book is also very appealing to those who love watching shows found on HTV where people’s homes are remodeled. I enjoyed seeing the changes and improvements that were made on businesses and homes that were described in such wonderful detail. It was also nice to see a confident, determined woman not let things get her down.

This romance will be enjoyed by adult readers that want a little spice in a romance, but where things are still kept clean. With a great plot, fantastic characters and the right amount of humor and kissing, Love Under Construction is built for one terrific read.

MEET AUTHOR: Danyelle Ferguson

Danyelle Ferguson discovered her love for the written word in elementary school. Her first article was published when she was in 6th grade. Since then, she’s won several awards and her work has been published world-wide in newspapers, magazines and books.

She grew up surrounded by Pennsylvania’s beautiful Allegheny Mountains, then lived for ten years among the majestic Wasatch Mountains. She is currently experiencing mountain-withdrawal while living in Kansas with her husband and family. She enjoys reading, writing, dancing and singing in the kitchen, and the occasional long bubble bath to relax from the everyday stress of being “Mommy.”

Enter to win a Kindle Fire and this fabulous bundle of sweet romances! The giveaway is open internationally. If the winner lives outside the Amazon Prime free shipping area, the winner will receive the sweet romance ebook bundle and the choice of either a $40 Amazon giftcard or PayPal cash.

Seventeen-year-old Adrielle doesn’t believe in magic; she merely possesses it, though no one has ever mentioned that her unusual gifts—exceptional speed, a flair for fire, and an intimate knowledge of flora—aren’t things she was born
with. When Adrielle starts a fire that burns down the family home, she
must deal with both her grief and her siblings’ hurtful rejection.

While journeying to far away Tallinyne, in search of her older, estranged sister—the only relative who might take her in—Adrielle is separated from her escort when the carriage is beset by thieves. Alone, she is thrust into a dangerous and unfamiliar world where she encounters fairies and gypsies, a wild boar, a drunk cook, and an evil queen whose curse is sweeping death across the land. Adrielle also finds love, falling hard for a kind, funny, handsome—and completely unavailable prince.

From the glowing pearls tucked beneath her mattress and keeping her awake at night, to Queen Nadamaris’s curse that seems to thwart Adrielle’s every effort, Adrielle struggles to navigate a world of magic she never imagined, where people she knows and loves are not always what they appear to be. With the glowing pearls—and her fondest desire—within her grasp, she is forced to make a choice no girl should ever have to—satisfying her own heart or saving the kingdom.

My Review:

I love fairytales and a great romance.This new book by Author Michele Paige Holmes gives you both in her new novel, First Light: Book One in the Forever After Series. I loved reading this novel and trying to figure out which fairytales the author had mixed into her story. There was a great mix of the fairytales from Cinderella to Sleeping Beauty. It also has magical fairies, an evil queen and our heroine sleeping by the hearth in the cinders. I loved the handsome prince, Cristian and also some of the more shady characters too. This story truly belongs to main character Adrielle as she finds out who she truly is and the power and magic within herself to find happiness and save the kingdom. I loved the fact that she ended up being the true hero in the story.

The storyline and plot isn’t complicated, but flows easy enough for you to sit down and have a quick, enjoyable read. If you love a fairytale where good triumphs over evil, and love conquers all, you will enjoy reading First Light.

Content: Clean romance with some kissing; mild violence, and no swearing.

Purchase Links:

Meet Author: Michele Paige Holmes:Michele Paige Holmes spent her childhood and youth in Arizona and
northern California, often curled up with a good book instead of out
enjoying the sunshine. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a
degree in Elementary Education and found it an excellent major in which
to indulge her love of children’s literature.
Her first novel, COUNTING STARS (Covenant Communications 2007), won the 2007 Whitney Award for best romance. The sequel, a romantic suspense titled, ALL THE STARS IN HEAVEN (Covenant 2009), was a Whitney finalist, as was her
first historical romance, CAPTIVE HEART (Covenant 2011). MY LUCKY STARS
(Covenant 2012) completed the Stars series.

In October 2014 Michele launched the Hearthfire historical romance line with the
publication of SAVING GRACE (Mirror Press 2014). The companion novel,
LOVING HELEN (Mirror Press 2015) was released in February 2015. A third
book about this same family, MARRYING CHRISTOPHER, (Mirror Press 2015)
was published in August 2015, with a Christmas novella, TWELVE DAYS IN
DECEMBER (Mirror Press 2015) released in December.

The next Hearthfire historical romance will be published in early summer of 2016.

In February 2016, Michele is launching the first book in the FOREVER AFTER
young adult fairy tale series. FIRST LIGHT (Mirror Press February 2016)
will be followed by a sequel LAST DAY in fall 2016. A third fairy tale,
PARADISE, will be published in 2017.

Michele attributes much of what she knows about good writing to time spent with her critique group
and feels that joining a critique group is the single best thing an
author can to do help improve his or her writing. She has been a member
of RWA and URWA, LDStorymakers, and The League of Utah Writers. Michele
enjoys both attending and teaching at conferences.

When not reading or writing romance, Michele is busy with her full time job as a
wife and mother. She and her husband live in Utah with their five high
maintenance children and a Shitzu that resembles a teddy bear, in a
house with a wonderful view of the mountains. You can find Michele on
the web at michelepaigeholmes.com and on Facebook and twitter.

FTC, FYI: I was given a review paperback copy in exchange for an honest review.

Reviewed by Sheila

Book Description:It was a relationship designed to unite not two young people in love, but two powerful kingdoms. And for Princess Karlinah, eldest daughter of King Lamoni, her marriage to the haughty heir to the throne of Jersusalem has led to a life of fear and abuse. There seems to be no escape—until her husband is murdered and Karlinah is unexpectedly free to return to her father’s kingdom. She can begin again—but no one can ever know of the part she played in the prince’s demise . . . Karlinah’s relief is short-lived, for upon her return to the land of Ishmael, she is once again swept into her father’s plans for a politically powerful marriage. Then the arrival of a young missionary in her father’s court changes everything: her family is converted to a new religion, and Karlinah is free to choose her path. Yet she is not so easily convinced by the words of Ammon—especially when repentance means confessing her crime. But as her faith grows and a young stone artisan captures her heart, Karlinah realizes that she must face the consequences of her past in order to move forward with her future.

My Review:I love to read books where stories from scriptures are brought to life. Secrets of a King’s Daughter does a marvelous job of bringing to life the stories of Lamanite King Lamoni, and Ammon, a Nephite, who is on a mission to convert these people to God.

The Princess Karlinah’s story is where the novel starts. Her new husband, a prince in a neighboring kingdom has been murdered in his sleep. All we know is that somehow Karlinah is involved, but her secret is not divulged for a very long time. Karlinah returns to her family where she soon finds herself betrothed again now to the wicked priest Japethihah. He’s so well written as a scummy and power hungry man that he made my skin crawl. Karlinah is not happy with her father’s choice, but she hopes that he will not be abusive as her first husband was to her.

I always find it amazing how a writer can weave a scriptural story in with made- up characters and make it so believable. Renae does this so well. I was immediately caught up in this story and the mystery and intrigue that was there. This book is a wonderful combination of action, suspense and romance. The conversion of King Lamoni and his wife was beautifully done as if I was reading the scriptures. Of course there was some liberty taken in dialogue and other happenings to enhance the overall story and plot. Those not familiar with The Book of Mormon will still be able to read this story and be pulled into the stories told from several different POV’s. I liked how each of the stories were seamlessly interwoven, so nothing seemed choppy, but knitted together to make the overall story flow. I’m so impressed that this is the author’s first published book. The writing is so well done and there is a very polished feel while reading this novel.

There are many messages that readers will take away from reading this book such as having hope, showing faith in unknown things,seeking forgiveness and accepting that one can repent and truly be forgiven. My teen daughter who usually shy’s away from anything not fantasy, declared she wanted to read this next.

I recommend this book to those who love historical fiction, romance, action and political intrigue. This book is also for those wanting a novel which brings stories from The Book of Mormon into a fictional setting and teaches about gospel principles in an interesting and non-preachy way. I can’t wait to read book two in this series.

****Warnings:This book has some violence with sword fighting, some mild gore and dead bodies in the aftermath of battle. There is no profanity or sex. ****

Meet author Renae Weight Mackley:

Renae Weight Mackley has lived in California and Utah, raised six children, and is thrilled to be in the grandmother stage. She knows that living in the world only gets harder with time. Her writing–from non-fiction to romance–reflects ways to shine through the darkness.

A stay-at-home mom for many years, Mackley invaded her children’s lives at school by becoming a K-12 substitute teacher for thirteen years. She found further fulfillment through creating music, sewing, and good home cooking, until rekindling her love of creative writing. After tasting two first place wins for the first chapter of Secrets of the King’s Daughter, she hungered to keep writing. Sometimes it’s hard to stop for dinner or bike rides with hubby.

Mackley graduated from Brigham Young University with a BS degree in Clothing and Textiles. She is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

FTC, FYI: I received a review e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Details:

If We Were a Movie by Kelly Oram (Power of the Matchmaker #3)

Music meets Movies in this sweet college romance from the bestselling author of Cinder and Ella. NYU freshman Nate Anderson is a triplet who is desperate to escape his wild and crazy brothers. After they screw things up for him one too many times, Nate flees his housing situation and takes the first available room for rent as far from his brothers as he can get. Enter his new roommate Jordan–a quirky LA girl who believes that everything in life has already been done in the movies. In this heartfelt tale of love, friendship and family, Nate learns how to deal with his new adult life using Hollywood films as a guide.

My Review:

If We Were a Movie is the third installment in the Power of the Matchmaker Series. This is the series where Pearl, the Chinese Matchmaker we met in the novella I reviewed earlier this year, goes around the country bringing people together with her matchmaking magic.

This novel is different from the others I’ve read so far. Here we have two college students in New York City who are thrown together by strange circumstances. This novel is fun with clever dialogue. The first very surprising fact of this book is the story is told from the perspective of the main Male lead character, Nate. It took me just a bit to realize this, but it made this book very unique to hear this story told from a male. Nate is a very talented music major going to school on a full ride scholarship. He along with his other triplet brothers room together in a small dorm room, but his wild brothers are driving him crazy with their frat boy antics. We also meet Jordan, the person looking for a roommate and Pearl sends Nate to her to help him get away from his brothers and his controlling girlfriend.

Of course the fun starts when Jordan and Nate end up as roommates and become great friends right away. This does not go over well with Nate’s long time girlfriend, Sophie who doesn’t like the idea of Nate’s new female roommate. Nate and Sophie are going through a hard patch of disagreements about life and their future together.

I loved Jordan, a film major, who grew up in a wealthy family, but never felt much love from them. She is bright, positive and very funny. Both of their lives are changed from their friendship. This story is fun with all of the movie quotes that Jordan says and relates all of them to their lives. This was one of my favorite things in the novel. Soon Nate realizes that Jordan accepts him for who he is and supports him in his goals and dreams.

The supporting characters, Nate’s brothers, Jordan’s co-worker and Nate’s father were all wonderful and brought to life in such dynamic ways. They added so much to the story with their bold and colorful personalities and Nate’s father’s love and support for Nate and Jordan. Sophie was the villain in the story, set up to be disliked, and she did everything under the sun to be unlikable. I didn’t like how bossy and controlling she was towards Nate. She claimed to love him, but wanted to change everything about him. This is an enlightening concept for any young person to read about. Many things happen, but I will tell you there is a happy ending for readers.

I liked this book and think it was a great addition to the Power of the Matchmaker series. Older teens and adults will enjoy reading this New Adult novel.

“WOW! This book is great! The concept is so inventive, and the writing is brilliant.”

“I thought Cinder &amp; Ella jerked with my emotions too much but this one might have it beat.”

“I finished reading If We Were a Movie yesterday. I loved it! I fell hard for Nate. Jordan was amazing! And Pearl’s timing was perfect! ”

“Amazing concept with movies as chapters, and fantastic storyline.” “I loved this story and was humming along to the songs from the book whilst reading. I can see this book becoming the movie it was written to be.” “If We Were a Movie made me want to binge watch movies, listen to old playlists and re-read it all at once.”

TEASER:

“So this is what a Pearl-approved guy looks like.” She shook her head once and cracked a smile. “She’s got good taste, I’ll give her that. You’re an odd mix of sexy and adorable. Don’t see that often.”

I was a little taken aback by the compliment, if that’s even what it was. She may have just been stating what she considered to be fact. She laughed at my surprise and held out her hand to me. “Nice to meet you. I’m Jordan Kramer.”

I’d been afraid of that. “You’re a girl.”

Jordan laughed. “That’s what it says on my birth certificate, but I’m really glad you were able to figure it out without needing to read it.”

Nope. I definitely didn’t need that.

TEASER:

I handed Jordan the electric guitar that I’ve had since I was twelve, and laughed when her eyes got really big. “You play the electric guitar, too?” “Music major,” I teased, picking up my keyboard. “I play this, too. A little. And the bass guitar.” “Awesome.” She examined the electric guitar with awe. “Why do you seem so surprised?” She looked at me as if the answer to that question should be obvious. “Hello. Have you met yourself? You with an acoustic guitar singing soft songs around a campfire or in a coffee house makes perfect sense. But I can’t picture you up on a stage, jamming on your electric guitar like a rock star.” She studied me a moment, then shook her head. “You’ll have to play for me, or I’m not going to believe it.”

Meet Author Kelly Oram:

Kelly Oram wrote her first novel at age fifteen–a fan fiction about her favorite music group, The Backstreet Boys, for which her family and friends still tease her. She’s obsessed with reading, talks way too much, and likes to eat frosting by the spoonful. She lives outside of Phoenix, Arizona with her husband, four children, and her cat, Mr. Darcy.

Don’t miss the latest news from Kelly Oram! Sign up for her newsletter to receive e-mail notifications for all of her new releases, events, sales, &amp; giveaways. This is a monthly newsletter often with exclusive giveaways and freebies from some of her favorite authors.

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